No doubt many things motivated the UVA students who, at least until recently, made it their mission to climb and crawl through the University’s least accessible places. Surely they were motivated by curiosity, boredom, peer pressure, the desire for a challenge—but also by the adrenaline rush that comes from true danger. The tragic death of Tom Gilliam showed that the sense of danger was real, and UVA is now struggling to articulate its response. How far can administrators go to eliminate true danger? How many locks and prosecutions and stern talks does it take to make a harmless world? This week’s cover story features several student explorers who have scaled Scott Stadium’s lights and stumbled through the steam tunnels. They felt the responsibility for their own safety ended with them. No matter how hard UVA makes exploration of its campus, the adrenaline lure will still draw those who can’t stand to live in a plastic world. Read the cover story here, and don’t forget to leave comments.
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